Drawer support



Ap 1964 c. e. KANZELBERGER 3,129,983

DRAWER SUPPORT Filed Jan. 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 INVENTOR.

Claude G11 07 381 19 7;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 DRAWER SUPPORT C. G. KANZELBERGER April 21, 1964 FiledJan. 22,

INVENTOR. w z

Claude (Ufa "49 BY United States Patent 3,129,988 DRAWER SUPPGRT CiaudeG. Kmelherger, Two Rivers, Wis, assignor to Hamilton ManufacturingCompany, Two Rivers, Wia, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed .Tan. 22,1962, Ser. No. 167,521 8 Claims. ((31. 312-345) This invention relatesgenerally to drawer structures and, more particularly, to an apparatusfor suspending a drawer in a cabinet or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved drawersuspension apparatus that is inexpensively manufactured and easilyinstalled.

It is another object to provide an improved drawer sus pension apparatusof the foregoing character that also guides the movement of the drawerbetween open and closed positions and prevents the drawer from tiltingwhen it is in the open position.

it is still another object to provide an improved drawer suspensionapparatus of the foregoing character that permits a drawer to be readilyremoved from a cabinet and reinserted when desired.

A still further object is to provide an irnproved drawer suspensionapparatus of the foregoing character whereby a drawer may be mounted invarious types of cabinets or other frame structures.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer and part of a suspensionapparatus embodying the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a frame structure and adrawer suspended therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the frame structure and drawer,taken generally on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the suspension apparatus.

In general, a suspension apparatus embodying the features of theinvention is adapted to slidably suspend a drawer in an opening formedin a cabinet or other frame structure. The apparatus comprises a frontsupport and a rear support for each side of the drawer. The two frontsupports are fastened to the frame structure adjacent the front of theopening in the frame structure; they preferably extend underneath thedrawer and provide bearing surfaces for the bottom of the drawer to rideon. The two rear supports slidably interconnect the back of the drawer,preferably at the two upper corners, with the frame structure, and eachincludes means for preventing both downward and upward movement of theback of the drawer. Both the front and rear supports further includemeans for preventing substantial lateral movement of the drawer.

The suspension apparatus may also include means to permit the drawer tobe readily removed from the frame structure when desired, and resilientbumpers at the back of the drawer to cushion the impact between theframe structure and the drawer when the drawer is pushed to the closedposition.

In greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a drawer, indicated generally by thenumeral 10, having a back 11, two sides 12, a bottom 14 and a front 15.The two sides 12 and the bottom 14 are preferably formed of a singlesheet of metal which is fastened to the front 15 by any desired3,129,988 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 ice means. The front 15 may be made ofwood and may have a routed pull 16 formed in it. The back 11 ispreferably formed of sheet metal and has two outturned flangescomprising a lower flange 17 and an upper flange 18, FIGS. 2 and 4. Thebottom flange 17 is fixed to the bottom 14 of the drawer and the edgesof the back 11 are fixed to the sides 12 as by spot welding. The upperedges of the two sides 12 are turned outwardly and downwardly to formhorizontal flange portions 19.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show one type of frame structure 20 adapted to receive thedrawer It This frame structure includes a bottom 21, a top 22, a back 23and two sides 24 which may be secured together by any desired means. Theframe structure has one open end, indicated generally by the referencenumeral 25, FIG. 2.

The apparatus for slidably suspending the drawer 10 within the framestructure 20 such that the drawer 10 may be inserted into or pulled outof the open end 25, comprises two front supports 27 and two rearsupports 28, best shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. Each front support 27 comprisesa front bracket 26 of stepped form, fastened by screws 29 to a side 24of the frame structure Zil, adjacent the open end 25 and preferablyadjacent the bottom 21 of the frame structure 20. Each stepped bracket26 includes a vertical portion 31, a horizontal portion 32, a frontsupport glide 34 fastened to the horizontal portion 32 and a lateralsupport glide 33 fastened to the vertical portion 31. These glides 33and 34 are preferably formed of a smooth low-friction material such asnylon. The front support glides 34 are positioned underneath the drawer10 and the lateral support glides 33 are spaced from each otherlaterally of the drawer 10 a distance slightly greater than the outsidewidth of the bottom portion of the drawer. As shown in FIG. 3, thedrawer bottom 14 rests on the bearing surfaces provided by the frontsupport glides 34 while the bearing surfaces provided by the lateralsupport glides 33 prevent substantial lateral movement of the drawer 10.

Each rear support 28 includes an angle shaped run 36, FIGS. 2 to 4,fastened by screws 35 to a side 24 of the frame structure 21) parallelto and above the flange 19 of the adjacent drawer side 12. Thehorizontal portion 37 of each run 35 extends inwardly toward the centerof the cabinet and is preferably positioned slightly above thehorizontal flange 19. The vertical portion 38 of each run 36 may extendnearly the entire length of the frame structure 20 while the horizontalportion 37 of each run 36 may be terminated at the point 39 adjacent thefront of the frame structure and at the point 40 adjacent the rear ofthe frame structure, as shown in FIG. 2.

Each rear support 28 also includes a rear bracket 42 illustrated inFIGS. 3 to 6. Each rear bracket 42 includes a flat mounting portion 43that is fastened, as by welding, to the inner face of a side 12 of thedrawer 10 preferably adjacent the upper edge and outside of the back 11.The upper flange 18 of the drawer back 11 is notched adjacent the sides12 of the drawer 11 to provide two openings 44 for the respective rearbrackets 42 (FIGS. 3 and 5).

The upper end of each rear bracket 42 is turned outwardly and upwardlyfrom the mounting portion 43 to form a horizontal portion 45 and avertical portion 46. The rear brackets 42 are secured to the drawer insuch position that the horizontal portions 45 are vertically spacedabove the horizontal flange portions 19 of the drawer sides 12. Holesare formed in the horizontal portions 45 and the vertical portions 45 ofthe rear brackets 42, which receive upper glides 49 and lateral glides50, respectively, also preferably made of a smooth low friction materialsuch as nylon. A lower glide 51 made of a similar material is fastenedin a hole formed in the horizontal flange portion 19 of each drawer side12, the lower a 3 glides 51 being offset a short distance toward thefront of the drawer from the rear brackets 42. The bearing surfaces ofthe upper glides 49 face downwardly and the bearing surfaces of thelower glides 51 face upwardly, the glides 4t) and 51 being spaced aparta distance slightly greater than the thickness of the horizontalportions 37 of the runs 36. The lateral glides 50 on the verticalportions 46 of the rear brackets 42 are spaced a short distance from thevertical portions 38 of the runs 36.

Also formed on each rear bracket 42 is a bumper mounting portion 52comprising a lateral extension of the mounting portion 43. The twobumper mounting portions 52 preferably extend inwardly from the sides ofthe drawer and are parallel with and spaced rearwardly from the back 11of the drawer. The bumper mounting por tions 52 carry bumpers 53 and twoangle-shaped stops 54, FIGS. 2 and 4, are fastened as by screws 55 tothe sides 24 of the frame structure 20 adjacent the back 23 and at thesame height as the bumpers 53, so that the bumpers 53 engage the stops54 when the drawer is pushed all the way to the closed position.

When the drawer is in the closed position, the front support glides 34of the front brackets 26 bear the weight of the front of the drawer 10and the upper glides 49 of the rear brackets 42 rest on the horizontalportions 37 of the runs 36 and bear the weight of the back of the drawer19. Substantial lateral movement of the front and the back of the draweris prevented by the two lateral support glides 33 of the front brackets26 at the front and the two lateral glides 56 of the rear brackets 42 atthe back. The glides 33 and 59, therefore, guide the movement of thedrawer as it is moved within the frame structure 20. When the drawer 10is pulled nearly all the way out of the frame structure 29, the weightof the front part of the drawer 10 tends to cause the drawer to tiltdownwardly at the front and hence causes the upper glides 49 to lift offof the upper surfaces of the horizontal portions 37 of the runs 36 andthe lower glides 51 of the 7 rear brackets 42 to move upwardly againstthe bottom surfaces of the runs 36. The lower glides 51, therefore, bearagainst the runs 36 and prevent the front of the drawer fromtiltingdownwardly to any substantial extent when the drawer is pulled out.

A conventional drawer stop (not shown) may be provided'to prevent thedrawer from being accidentally pulled completely out of the framestructure. In the event the drawer 10 is to be completely removed fromthe frame structure 20, the drawer stop, if one is provided, isdisengaged and the drawer is pulled outwardly to the point where therear brackets 42 pass the terminating points 39 of the horizontalportions 37 of the runs 36. The drawer 10 can then be lifted manuallyand removed from the frame structure 20. The drawer 10 may be readilyreinserted into the frame structure 20 by setting the bottom 14 of thedrawer It? on the front support glides 34 of the front brackets 26 andpositioning the space between the upper and lower glides 49 and 51 ofthe rear supports 28 in alignment with the horizontal portions 37 of theruns 36. The drawer 19 is then in position to be pushed into the framestructure and to its closed position.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a novel and improvedsuspension apparatus for a drawer has been provided. The suspensionapparatus makes it possible to mount the drawer in various types offrame structures by fastening the runs 36 and the front brackets 26 tothe sides of the frame structure. When using a suspension apparatus ofthe type described, the frame structure does not have to be speciallydesigned, other than as to size,,to receive a certain type of drawer.This suspension apparatus has further important advantages in that itprevents substantial lateral movement of the drawer and also preventsthe drawer from substantial tilting when it is pulled part way out. Thelow friction glides of the .front and rear supports permit movement ofthe drawer with relative ease, and the drawer can be readily removedfrom the frame structure when desired.

I claim: I

1. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer in an Opening formed in aframe structure, comprising a pair of front supports adapted to besecured to the frame structure adjacent the opening, said front supportsbeing adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the drawer andhaving portions that are adapted to extend underneath the drawer andprovide bearing surfaces for the underside of the drawer, and a pair ofrear supports adapted to slidably connect the upper side edges of thedrawer to the frame structure, said rear supports including a runadapted to be secured to the frame structure on each side of the drawer,each of said runs having a substantially horizontal portion adapted toextend longitudinally of the drawer adjacent an upper side edge of thedrawer, upper and lower means providing surfaces adapted to be securedto the drawer adjacent the upper edge of each side thereof, said upperand lower means being vertically spaced a distance slightly greater thanthe thickness of said substantially horizontal portions of said runs andbeing respectively positioned over and under said substantiallyhorizontal portions of said runs, means providing a lateral surfaceformed on each of said front supports, means providing a lateral surfaceformed on said upper means of each of said rear supports, said lateralsurfaces being adapted to prevent substantially lateral movement of thedrawer, and a glide fastened to each of said surfaces of said front andrear supports.

2. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer in an opening formed in aframe structure, the upper side edges of said drawer having outwardlyextending flanges formed thereon, comprising a pair of front supportsadapted to be secured to the frame structure adjacent the opening, saidfront supports being adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of thedrawer and having portions that are adapted to extend underneath thedrawer and provide bearing surfaces for the underside of the drawer, anda pair of rear supports adapted to slidably connect said upper sideedges of the drawer to the frame structure, said rear supports includinga run adapted to be secured to the frame structure on each side of thedrawer, each of said runs having a substantially horizontal portionadapted to extend longitudinally of the drawer adjacent a flange on anupper side edge of the drawer, upper and lower means providing surfacesadapted to be secured to the drawer adjacent the upper edge of each sidethereof, said upper and lower means being vertically spaced a distanceslightly greater than the thickness of said substantially horizontalportions of said runs and being respectively positioned over and undersaid substantially horizontal portions of said runs, each of said frontsupports comprising a front bracket of stepped-form having horizontaland vertical portions, a glide fixed to the upper side of saidhorizontal portion, and a glide fixed to said vertical portion on itsside facing the drawer.

3. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer in an opening formed in aframe structure, comprising a pair of front supports adapted to besecured to the frame stuctuse adjacent the opening, said front supportsbeing adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the drawer andhaving portions that are adapted to extend underneath the drawer andprovide bearing surfaces for the underside of the drawer, and a pair ofrear supports adapted to slidably connect the upper side edges of thedrawer to the frame structure, said rear supports including a runadapted to be secured to the frame structure on each side of the drawer,each of said runs having a substantially horizontal portion adapted toextend longitudinally of the drawer adjacent an upper side edge of thedrawer, upper and lower means providing surfaces adapted to be securedto the drawer adjacent the upper edge of each side thereof, said upperand lower means being vertically spaced a distance slightly greater thanthe thickness of said substantially horizontal portions of said runs andbeing respectively positioned over and under said substantiallyhorizontal portions of said runs, said upper means of each of said rearsupports comprising a rear bracket adapted to be secured to a side ofthe drawer adjacent the upper edge thereof, said rear brackets beingadapted to extend outwardly and upwardly from the upper side edges ofthe drawer, an upper glide fastened to the underside of the outwardlyextending portion of each rear bracket, a lower glide adapted to efastened to the upper edge of each side of the drawer below said upperglides, and a lateral glide fastened to the outside of said upwardlyextending portion of each rear bracket.

4. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer, as in claim 3, whereinsaid rear brackets are adapted to be secured to the sides of the draweradjacent the back of the drawer, and further including means formed oneach of said rear brackets for supporting a resilient bumper spacedrearwardly from the back of the drawer.

5. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer in an opening formed in aframe structure in the front thereof, the upper side edges of the drawerhaving outwardly extending horizontal flanges formed thereon, comprisinga pair of front brackets adapted to be fixed to said frame structureadjacent said opening, said front brackets being adapted to bepositioned on opposite sides of the drawer and having portions adaptedto extend underneath the drawer and provide bottom bearing surfaces forthe drawer, and a pair of rear supports adapted to slidably connect theupper side edges of the drawer to the frame structure, said rearsupports including a run adapted to be fixed to the frame structure oneach side of the drawer, each of said runs having a substantiallyhorizontal portion adapted to extend longitudinally of the draweradjacent an uper side edge of the drawer, said rear supports furtherincluding a rear bracket adapted to be secured to each upper side edgeof the drawer adjacent said runs, said rear brackets having portionsadapted to extend outwardly from the sides of the drawer over the uppersurface of said horizontal portions of said runs, said horizontalportions of said runs projecting between said outwardly extendingportions of said rear brackets and the horizontal flanges formed on thesides of the drawer.

6. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer, as in claim 5, whereinsaid front brackets further include substantially vertical portionsadapted to be positioned adjacent the sides of the drawer, and said rearbrackets further include substantially vertical portions adapted to bespaced outwardly from the sides of the drawer.

7. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer, as in claim 6, whereinsaid rear brackets are adapted to be positioned adjacent the back of thedrawer, and further include means fixed to said rear brackets forsupporting a resilient bumper at the back of the drawer.

8. Apparatus for slidably suspending a drawer in an opening formed in aframe structure, comprising a pair of front brackets adapted to be fixedto the frame structure adjacent the opening, said front brackets beingadapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the drawer and havingportions adapted to extend underneath a portion of the drawer andprovide bearing surfaces for the drawer, a plurality of glides securedto said bearing surfaces, and a pair of rear support means adapted toslidably connect the sides of the drawer to the frame structure, saidrear support means including a run adapted to be fixed to the framestructure on each side of the drawer, each of said runs having asubstantially horizontal portion adapted to extend longitudinally of thedrawer adjacent a side of the drawer, said rear support means furtherincluding portions adapted to extend outwardly from the sides of thedrawer over and under said horizontal portions of said runs, a pluralityof glides secured to said outwardly extending portions of said rearsupport means, and each of said rear support means further including abumper mounting portion at the back of the drawer, said bumper mountingportion of each of said support means being formed integrally with saidportion of each of said rear support means adapted to extend over saidhorizontal portions of said runs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,550,980 Drake May 1, 1951 2,905,519 ONeil Sept. 22, 1959 2,992,055Kass July 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 28,135 Great Britain 1912 1,210,451France Sept. 28, 1959

5. APPARATUS FOR SLIDABLY SUSPENDING A DRAWER IN AN OPENING FORMED IN AFRAME STRUCTURE IN THE FRONT THEREOF, THE UPPER SIDE EDGES OF THE DRAWERHAVING OUTWARDLY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL FLANGES FORMED THEREON, COMPRISINGA PAIR OF FRONT BRACKETS ADAPTED TO BE FIXED TO SAID FRAME STRUCTUREADJACENT SAID OPENING, SAID FRONT BRACKETS BEING ADAPTED TO BEPOSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DRAWER AND HAVING PORTIONS ADAPTEDTO EXTEND UNDERNEATH THE DRAWER AND PROVIDE BOTTOM BEARING SURFACES FORTHE DRAWER, AND A PAIR OF REAR SUPPORTS ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY CONNECT THEUPPER SIDE EDGES OF THE DRAWER TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE, SAID REARSUPPORTS INCLUDING A RUN ADAPTED TO BE FIXED TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE ONEACH SIDE OF THE DRAWER, EACH OF SAID RUNS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE DRAWERADJACENT AN UPPER SIDE EDGE OF THE DRAWER, SAID REAR SUPPORTS FURTHERINCLUDING A REAR BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO EACH UPPER SIDE EDGEOF THE DRAWER ADJACENT SAID RUNS, SAID REAR BRACKETS HAVING PORTIONSADAPTED TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY FROM THE SIDES OF THE DRAWER OVER THE UPPERSURFACE OF SAID HORIZONTAL PORTIONS OF SAID RUNS, SAID HORIZONTALPORTIONS OF SAID RUNS PROJECTING BETWEEN SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDINGPORTIONS OF SAID REAR BRACKETS AND THE HORIZONTAL FLANGES FORMED ON THESIDES OF THE DRAWER.